EDU555 – K-12: Curriculum Design and Development

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Week 6 Assignment – Problem-Centered Curriculum Design Template Name: Courtney Hopkins

Professor Name: Professor Vance Date: November 6, 2024

GUIDING QUESTIONS

Use these questions and notes as a guide to complete your assignment requirements. Also refer to the need assessment work you completed in Week 3.

1. Why did you choose to cover this topic for your problem-centered curriculum? 2. What do you know about the topic?

• Assess whether you are familiar with the topic, or whether you have some knowledge, little knowledge, or no knowledge about the topic.

• What will you do to gain mastery of the subject matter? • Where will you look for answers to issues you do not know about?

3. What do you know about participants and stakeholders? • What is the grade level of the students? • What is the demographic make-up of your students? • What are their performance scores as they pertain to the state standards? • What do you think students already know about the topic? • What is the make-up of the teachers in the school?

4. How will you use your concept map to help you organize topics and subtopics? 5. How will you use Bloom’s Taxonomy to create objectives and outcomes for a successful problem-

centered curriculum? 6. How will your choice of resources help you successfully implement your curriculum?

• Are your resources up to date and relevant?

ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS

These are the criteria on which you will be assessed. Please also review the scoring guide to make sure you understand how work will be graded.

1. Describe your reasons for choosing the topic.

The topic that I have chosen is Mental Health Awareness Among High School Students. This subject is more pertinent today because adolescents are increasingly struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and social isolation, especially in the post COVID-19 era. Students must be provided with a framework to manage these issues as they significantly impact their academic performance and

EDU555 – K-12: Curriculum Design and Development

© 2022 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

wellbeing. With a problem-centered approach to curriculum on this topic, students can develop the capacity to identify and demonstrate an understanding of mental health as an area of need in the society together with active participation in the solution.

2. Describe your knowledge of the topic.

As a result, I have a basic understanding of the importance of mental health in schools, which is supported by recent educational research and articles. Some of the understanding I have is based on a needs analysis that pointed out problems that are prevalent, the ecosystem of a school, and the importance of acting upon it. To gain deeper mastery, I will search databases of scientific publications, enroll in various workshops, and communicate with teachers and other psychologists in learning. To learn more about new topics, I have to find out about current studies, for instance, regarding the state of mental services for adolescents post Covid-19 era and the effectiveness of school-based interventions.

3. Describe your understanding of the participants and stakeholders.

This curriculum is intended for high school students enrolled in a diverse, suburban K-12 district in Kansas. The students embody a cross section of ethnic diversity and many manifest symptoms of mental health issues because of academic and social demands. These are the major stakeholders; teachers, school counselors, parents and administrators. Only teachers and counselors can directly contribute to the classroom and counseling approach, whereas parents and administrators contribute either by participating or by offering funding.

4. Describe the elements of your concept map: the main topic of the curriculum, five issues related to the main topic, and supporting literature.

Mental Health Awareness: Integrated as an essential component of the school curriculum, mental health awareness will enable students to enhance observational skills and foster mainstream discourses about mental health, a crucial element in creating supportive schools’ environment (Barker, 1).

Social Isolation and Peer Relationships: This component tackles the effects of social exclusion on students’ mental health while stressing the significance of social support from peers to improve students’ social well-being (Tomé, 2).

EDU555 – K-12: Curriculum Design and Development

© 2022 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Academic Pressure and Mental Health: School requirements help cause some of the stresses and anxiety that people experience in their daily lives. This concept explores the ways in which academic demands can impact students’ psychological well-being and offers methods to reduce stress levels (Jurcik, 3)

Role of School Staff and Parents: Teachers, counselors and parents are involved in the social participation of education and encouragement of mental health among students (Andermo, 4).

Effects of COVID-19 on Adolescent Mental Health: Among students, the pandemic has caused more stress and anxiety levels to rise as well as depression rates. This curriculum element responds to these challenges and seeks to promote the development of resilience and coping skills to (Aguirre Velasco, 5).

Mental Health Curriculum Integration in Schools: Integrating mental health education into the curriculum promotes an inclusive learning environment. This concept supports long-term mental health by embedding regular discussions and strategies for mental well-being into students’ daily learning (Barker, 1).

5. Develop three objectives and three outcomes for your curriculum using terms from Bloom’s taxonomy.

Objectives Reasons for choosing

1. Students will identify signs and symptoms of mental health issues in themselves and peers.

This objective empowers students with self- awareness and early recognition of mental health concerns, which is essential for timely intervention.

2. Students will analyze the impact of academic pressure and social isolation on mental well- being.

Encouraging students to critically examine factors affecting their mental health fosters self- reflection and resilience.

3. Students will create a personal wellness plan that incorporates strategies for managing stress.

Developing a practical wellness plan supports students' application of learned coping mechanisms.

EDU555 – K-12: Curriculum Design and Development

© 2022 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Outcomes Reasons for choosing

1. Students will demonstrate understanding by sharing mental health resources with peers.

This outcome shows students can use their knowledge to support themselves and others, fostering a supportive school community.

2. Students will evaluate their own stressors and select appropriate coping strategies.

Reflecting on personal stressors and choosing effective strategies enables students to manage challenges independently.

3. Students will apply wellness strategies in real- life situations, such as during exams or social events.

By applying wellness techniques, students reinforce learning through experience, aiding long-term mental health benefits.

6. Identify five resources you will need to successfully implement your curriculum. • You can use resources from your annotated bibliography.

EDU555 – K-12: Curriculum Design and Development

© 2022 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Source 1. Barker, R., Hartwell, G., Egan, M., & Lock, K. 2023. The importance of school

culture in supporting student mental health in secondary schools. Insights from a

qualitative study. British Educational Research Journal, 49(3), 499-521.

2. Tomé, G., Almeida, A., Ramiro, L., & Gaspar, T. 2021. Intervention in schools

promoting mental health and well-being: a systematic. Global J Comm Psychol

Pract, 34, 3-23.

3. Jurcik, T., Jarvis, G. E., Doric, J. Z., Krasavtseva, Y., Yaltonskaya, A., Ogiwara,

K., … & Grigoryan, K. 2023. Adapting mental health services to the COVID-19

pandemic: reflections from professionals in four countries. In How the COVID-19

Pandemic Transformed the Mental Health Landscape (pp. 3-28). Routledge.

4. Andermo, S., Hallgren, M., Nguyen, T. T. D., Jonsson, S., Petersen, S., Friberg,

M., … & Elinder, L. S. 2020. School-related physical activity interventions and

mental health among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports

medicine-open, 6, 1-27.

5. Aguirre Velasco, A., Cruz, I. S. S., Billings, J., Jimenez, M., & Rowe, S. (2020).

What are the barriers, facilitators and interventions targeting help-seeking

behaviours for common mental health problems in adolescents? A systematic

review. BMC psychiatry, 20, 1-22.